Results/Photos

Date: Sept. 27, 2026 Participant: Cole Backstrom #13176 Race: 2026 Boulderthon Marathon Distance: 26.2 miles

Strong Front Half Fuels a Top-10% Marathon Finish Cole Backstrom crossed the marathon line in 3:51:25, placing 261st overall and 213th among men in a field of 3,305 runners. Backstrom's race showed a clear two-part shape: through 11 miles he held steady between 7:33 and 8:18 per mile, reaching the midpoint near an 8:00 pace. From miles 12 to 23, splits eased into the 8:3010:24 range before a final push brought the last miles back under 9:00 and 8:57 for mile 26. His most consistent running came in that opening stretch through mile 11, the fastest sustained mile-plus segment of the day. That effort came at Boulder's altitude of over 5,000 feet, on a course that runs past Boulder Reservoir and county backroads before finishing on the Pearl Street Mall.